


a moment until the next one

by hardkourparcore



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Friendship, Gen, i just i do not know how to tag fics, originally in a zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23318617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hardkourparcore/pseuds/hardkourparcore
Summary: Ike and Lethe are awkward exes, and if they're to work amiably in the Laguz Alliance, that needs to change
Relationships: mentioned Ike/Soren, mentioned mist/lethe
Kudos: 18





	a moment until the next one

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the [rally spectrum](https://twitter.com/rallyspeczine) zine!! it was great to be apart of it and i got to write one of my favorite headcanons...

The only perk to having fought beside most of these people once before was that Ike wasn't concerned about getting to know them. He'd already done that three years ago, and as a result the Laguz Alliance felt more comfortable, and had better cohesion, than it felt even the Crimean Emancipation army had before.

There were a few small snags, however. He didn't feel the need to pull every other laguz to the side and ask about their lives, but that also meant he already knew a bit about them, and so he knew that each time Lethe hurriedly ducked out of a tent he'd enter, it meant she was trying to avoid him. He wasn't too happy about it.

In the moment before she could dart out of the mess tent, Ike said her name and caught her attention. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms, but stopped and gave him an expectant stare.

"What?" she hissed.

"You're avoiding me." Ike's blunt way of speaking meant he'd cut straight to the chase. Normally, that was something Lethe seemed to like about him, but he could see her irritation only growing.

"You figured it out," she retorted, sarcastically. "What is it you want, Ike?"

She wasn't technically under his command for this campaign, and it was clear she was only paying him the lowest amount of respect she believed he deserved.

"Are you still mad at me?"

Her ears pressed against the top of her head and she let out a sharp sigh. "Mad, huh?" she echoed.

Ike did believe he deserved it, at least. After the Mad King's war, and after enough restoration had taken place that he no longer felt beholden to sticking around in the capital wearing stiff, frilly shirts and pretending like he wanted to be there, Ike followed her back to Gallia and trained alongside the cat tribe. She showed him Gallian cuisine, how to climb a tree without claws, and one of Ike's fondest memories from that time had been falling asleep underneath a tree with her resting her head on his shoulder. It all came to an end suddenly. They had an awkward conversation, tried a sloppy kiss, and Ike left the next morning, too abruptly to fully understand.

Lethe didn't answer Ike. She just stared at him.

"I'll take that as a yes," he decided. His mouth pulled into one corner. "I'm sorry, if you’ll accept it at this point."

She would, but Lethe was too proud to admit it. "No," she snapped back. "You left me so confused, never even tried to send a letter. I half expected your beorc body to crumble under the summer heat on the way back to Crimea. You could have at least let someone escort you."

"You'd have escorted me?" She glowered, but it was a weight off Ike's chest. "I figured you'd never want to see me again."

She was quiet. He waited.

"You like  _ him _ so much better, don't you?"

Soren. Their own relationship had developed quicker than his and Lethe's. They fit together just a little better. Even though Lethe was laguz, Ike couldn't figure out how to communicate with her in the same way he could Soren -- no words necessary, just intent and responses. He wasn't sure if she really resented that, or was just making a jab out of whatever grudge she was holding against him.

"It's not... like that." Ike had to search his brain for the way to explain. There was no forcing with Soren. Everything felt right with him, and natural. It never felt wrong with Lethe, but it didn’t feel as  _ full _ .

He thought of napping under a huge tree in the Gallian springtime with Lethe curled into his side. He’d taken similar naps since then, but in Crimea, next to Soren. It was a similar experience, peaceful and relaxing. When he woke up next to Lethe, he’d been surprised and indifferent that she was still next to him, picking at the grass by her hip. He’d casually unwrapped himself from her and stood up, before suggesting they do something else. Every time he awoke next to Soren, he caught himself staring for quite awhile, just happy to be next to Soren, and close. His first thought was always to pull the mage closer, never to find something different entirely to do. And he thought about how handsome Soren was. The sun could shine in Soren’s hair, turning it an almost iridescent green. It could light up his already bright, clever eyes, and kissed his skin, and…

He didn’t think that way of Lethe. She wasn’t unattractive, but her attractiveness wasn’t something Ike thought of. Nothing pulled at his chest upon seeing her. He liked her, but not that way.

Now, to put that into words... He paused, and was surprised Lethe seemed to wait patiently for him to actually continue. "I liked that time with you in Gallia. I'd still consider you a close friend."

He searched her face to see if he could find any dissent or agreement. He found neither, so he continued.

"But whatever that was... I don't think I ever wanted that. It's just... More natural with Soren, to me. I shouldn't have just left you like that, but... I think this is better for everyone involved."

Even though Lethe's glare remained, there was the tell-tale droop to her eyebrows. She agreed, in some respect, even if she wasn't about to concede it. He still knew her well enough to know that.

"It doesn't change how it happened," she grumbled.

"You're right."

He could tell he was getting through to her. That was always one of the few things he'd been proud of, when it came to their relationship.

"Does he make you happy, Ike?" There was a bite to her words, or an edge, but it wasn't as sharp as she usually made it. It was a genuine question, just as much as it was a cutting remark.

"Yeah," Ike replied easily, immediately. "Maybe it's kind of like... How Mist makes you happy too?"

Lethe's face turned pink. She hissed, and her arms unfolded to straighten stiffly at her sides. "Mist said you-- How could-- She didn't tell you, did she?!"

"She did." Partly out of her own excitement, and partly because she was sure if she didn't tell Ike, he'd never figure it out. He'd like to give himself more credit than that, but she did say that both he and Soren had something for each other for far longer, and Ike hadn't believed her until now. "Was she not supposed to? She seemed so excited about it."

Lethe pouted, still pink. 

There was a brief silence in which neither of them said any more. Ike, at least, was sure there was nothing left to say, yet it didn't seem Lethe was done.

"I won't pretend like you're not right," she ceded. Her violet eyes refused to meet his own, but that wasn't necessary anyway. "I liked you, but time has shown me you felt trapped."

She quirked an eyebrow in his direction. He wasn't sure what it meant. "You're not the kind of person any one can corner into anything. You didn't want to be there, so you left. No one could make you stay, even if I had tried.”

“But I couldn’t have convinced you to leave, either,” Ike replied.

“No,” she agreed with a sigh. “And no one will.”

Her mouth pulled into a small smile. “When the time comes for you to leave again, are you planning to do it alone?”

“That’s up to Soren.” His response is almost immediate. “But if it were my choice, this time, I wouldn’t.”

“That’s good.”

Ike had to smile. Lethe had always been easy to upset, and quicker to bite back if some one antagonized her. He was glad to have the chance to talk this over with her. He missed her friendship.

"That isn't to say I give a single fig of that tactician," Lethe added. "But... As the beorc say, I will have your back if you have mine."

"Same goes for you, Lethe," he agreed. "I'd still say you're a good friend."

She blushed, but she did that when she was angry just as much as when she was flustered. "That is so like you. I'm leaving now. Do not tell anyone I'm seeing your sister."

Ike nodded. "Will do. She can handle that herself."

Lethe scoffed, but she was smiling as she left.


End file.
